Folding support or stand for pictures



(No Model!) D. B. WILLIAMS.

FOLDING SUPPORT OR STAND FORPIGTURES.

No. 528,704. Patented Nov. 6,1894.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DICK BURKS WILLIAMS, OF'BALTIMORE,.MARIYLAND.

FOLDING SUPPORT OR STAND FOR PICTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,704, dated November 6, 1894. Application filed June 12, 1894. Serial No. 514,278. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, DIoK BURKS WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Supports or Stands for Pictures or other Articles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to foldingsupports or stands for pictures or other articles, to enable the same to be suitably exhibited or displayed, and it has for its object the provisionof a simple device whose manufacture will be cheap, and which will be capable of being securely locked or held in an open or operative position against accidental closing from knocks or jars.

To these ends, said invention consists in the support or stand having the features of con- EtllOtlOll substantially as hereinafter speci- In the drawings, Figure 1 is aback view of a card provided with one form of my inven tion, with the latter shown in a closed or folded position; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the same, with the support in its open position; Fig. 3, a plan view thereof; Fig. 4, a back view of a card, provided with another form of my invention; Fig. 5, a perspective view thereof, with the support in its open position; Fig. 6, a perspective view of a form of my support or stand, which is adapted more especially for the display of articles of merchandise that are designed to be temporarily mounted upon it; Fig. 7, a vertical section through the same.

A serious defect in the construction of folding supports or stands for picture cards that are formed of pasteboard or like material, is a lack of stability owing either to an inefficient locking device, or the absence of the latter altogether, so that either from a slight knock or jar, or the natural tendency of the material employed, the support will collapse or close accidentally. I have devised a support or stand, that, although quite simple, can be securely retained in an open position against accidental collapse.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, my support is adapted to the requirements of a card A having greater width than height, and comprises a part B that is secured by paste or otherwise, near the lower edge of the card at its transverse center, and a swinging part 0 hinged or pivoted to each side edge of said part B, such hinging being effected by scoring or creasing the pasteboard in a vertical line, as indicated by dotted lines I) and b.

Hinged to the lower edge of part B, by scoring or creasing, on a line d that intersects the hinges b and b, is a locking piece D that at each end has a prolongation or extension 01' which projects beyond-the adjacent hingeb and is adapted to be placedin engagement with a horizontal slit or notch b that is cut from the hinge b outward into each part B. To effect such engagement, each part 0 is opened outward from the card until it is carried within the extension d of the piece D. Then the latter is turned upward upon its hinge d until it lies inthe plane of the slit or notch b and then each part 0 is moved, or permitted to move, backward by reason of its normal tendency until the extension d and said notch interlock. It will be apparent that the lock thus formed possesses great stability since both the parts 0 and O and the locking piece D are under stress or tension and each abruptly opposes the tendency of the other to resume its relaxed or closed position. The notch or slit b may be of suchwidth as to permit the easy passage of the locking piece, or asI prefor it may be slightly narrower than the thickness of said piece, so as to crowd or bind the latter and thus add to the security of the look. It will be obvious that by omitting one part 0 and the corresponding extension 01' of the locking piece D, there will still be a complete support capable ofsatisfactory use.

In Figs. etand 5, I show my invention adapted to a panel card A, i. e., one having greater heightthan length. The supportin this instance is given a general shape resembling an isosceles triangle, and has a part B by which it is attached to the card A, and but one swingingpart C. The locking piece D in this case is .formed within the body of the device instead of at the edge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be noted that this form of my device is really but a modification of what is above suggested in regard to discarding portions of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. l

Each of the described forms of my inventron is capable of being manufactured by dies in one operation, and attachment to a card requires pasting at but one place. When folded, all parts lie in the plane of one thickness of the material.

Besides its employment as a picture support, my invention is quite as applicable in the construction of stands or supports for the dlsplay of articles of merchandise, such as hats, &c., and such an embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. 6, where the base of the stand is formed simply by the duplication of the support illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the union of the two parts at the point corresponding to the portion B that is pasted to the card A. A rod E, or other device to receive the article to be displayed is attached to such base by inserting its lower, squared or rectangular end into a vertical square opening formed by two abutting half square or angular grooves provided in the adjoining sides of the two parts B and B. The rod E at its lower end rests upon the locking pieces D and D. Either pasteboard, or sheet metal may be used in making this embodiment of my invention, but if the latter be used, suitable hinges will take the place of the scores or creases of the pasteboard, and springs will be employed to furnish the stress or tension of the parts necessary to the satisfactory operation of the device, and which pasteboard possesses to the required degree.

Other variations of construction than those described utilizing the principle of my invention, will readily suggest themselves to those purpose shown.

skilled in the art, and I therefore do not limit hinged on lines that intersect, one of which parts has a notch or slit, and the other a projection constructed to interlock the parts substantially as specified.

2. A folding support or stand comprising a supporting part and a locking piece that are hinged on lines that intersect, one of which parts has a slit to receive a portion of the other and the latter a projection to engage the surface adjacent to the slit to interlock the parts, the slit being narrower than the thickness of the received portion to bind against the same, substantially as shown.

3. A folding support or stand comprising a supporting part that is hinged on a vertical line, and a locking piece that is hinged on a horizontal line, the said supporting part having a horizontal slit to receive a portion of the locking piece, and the latter having a projection to engage said supporting part adjacent to the slit, substantially as specified.

4. A folding support or stand comprising two supporting parts that are hinged to a co mmon part on parallel, vertical lines, and having each a horizontal slit, and a locking piece hinged on a horizontal line and adapted to enter both slits and having a projection at each end to engage the supporting part adjacent to a slit, substantially as and for the DICK BURKS WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

J. Ross COLHOUN,

ENOCH MARIS. 

